On if Dana’s talked to Washington State coach Mike Leach about Kansas quarterback Peyton Bender, a transfer from Wazzou:

Not him, specifically. The Mike Leach classic quarterback is a guy who sits in the pocket and throws it 90 times a game, capable of doing that. This kid is capable of doing that, that’s what he wants to do. He wants to stay in the pocket and he wants to throw that thing all over the place. So, that’s what we’ll prepare for.

I’ve learned my lesson talking to Coach Leach. Washington State is playing well; we want them to keep winning, because the more they win, the weirder he gets. I love him, he’s the best. His press conferences are a lot more entertaining than mine. I’ve seen it all. I’ve seen it all before you all have seen it. That’s the reason why I haven’t read his books, I lived it.

Leach is one of a kind. Thought Maryland would have been wise to hire him when it went with Edsall instead. His style is not for everybody, but no denying what he’s accomplished … and at some places that haven’t had much success otherwise.

Dana was semi-joking about Nehlen wanting him run more. But while he may not admit it, Coach Nehlen must have got through to Dana, because his run-pass ratio has completely turned around from Holgorsen’s Air Raid roots. In 2015 and 2016, WVU was 60 percent run, and even this year with an improved passing game, WVU is nearly 50-50 (technically 51 percent pass, 49 percent run), though admittedly the season is still young. Obviously Nehlen had some seasons when he was very heavy run, but late in his coaching career in 1998, when he had an outstanding quarterback (Marc Bulger) and excellent receivers (Shawn Foreman and David Saunders), WVU was almost perfectly balanced with 435 runs on the year and 433 passes. Add in Dana’s use of a lead-blocking fullback, and Dana’s current offense looks more like Nehlen’s than it does his Air Raid mentor Mike Leach, who by the way still throws it 75 percent of the time.